WORLD: Global survey finds politicians distrusted

Sixty-five per cent of citizens across the world do not think their country is governed by the will of the people, according to an opinion poll commissioned by the BBC. The Gallup International Voice of the People 2005 poll questioned 50,000 people in 68 countries in June for the BBC. The results of the poll were reported on September 14. It found that only 13% of people trusted politicians and only 16% thought they should be given more power. Europeans are among the most sceptical about people in power. In the 23 European countries surveyed, a third of respondents said they did not trust politicians or business, religious and military leaders, rising to more than half in central and eastern Europe. Globally, only a quarter of those in the survey held people in authority in similar disregard.

From Green Left Weekly, September 21, 2005.

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From GLW issue 643